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Dark Earth Rising
The Devil's Shallows
Eight miles of mystery. One night of terror.
Residents trapped in a remote neighborhood confront the unimaginable in this horror novel from award-winning author Debra Castaneda.
The salt marsh at Devil’s Landing is home to a terrifying urban legend.
Adam Gray knows the old stories about the Slough Devil, the missing children, and the mutilated animals. But the naturalist and wilderness survival expert doesn’t believe in monsters. Not even when a tourist on his boat sees a strange creature in the tidal channel and captures it on video.
When Adam moves into a controversial housing development next to the marsh, shocking new evidence emerges, and it’s not long before he’s confronted with a series of horrifying and unexplained events.
It takes Christina, his feisty new neighbor, to get him to believe something lurks in the slough. Something disturbed by the new community.
When a massive storm maroons the residents, Adam and Christina find themselves trapped and tested in a fight for their lives.
Residents trapped in a remote neighborhood confront the unimaginable in this horror novel from award-winning author Debra Castaneda.
The salt marsh at Devil’s Landing is home to a terrifying urban legend.
Adam Gray knows the old stories about the Slough Devil, the missing children, and the mutilated animals. But the naturalist and wilderness survival expert doesn’t believe in monsters. Not even when a tourist on his boat sees a strange creature in the tidal channel and captures it on video.
When Adam moves into a controversial housing development next to the marsh, shocking new evidence emerges, and it’s not long before he’s confronted with a series of horrifying and unexplained events.
It takes Christina, his feisty new neighbor, to get him to believe something lurks in the slough. Something disturbed by the new community.
When a massive storm maroons the residents, Adam and Christina find themselves trapped and tested in a fight for their lives.
264 pages, ebook
Published March 30, 2022
About the author
Debra Castaneda
23 books309 followersDebra Castaneda is an award-winning author of urban fantasy and dark fiction based on the central coast of California.
Her works include Barely Magic, the first book in the Maddy Madrigal Mysteries series of urban fantasy novels; The Spore Queen, The Devil’s Shallows, The Root Witch, The Copper Man, Circus at Devil’s Landing, and A Dark and Rising Tide, which comprise the Dark Earth Rising series of standalone novels, and The Monsters of Chavez Ravine, an International Latino Book Awards gold medal winner.
Debra loves writing character-driven stories about people who experience scary or magical things, and how they react when confronted with the unexpected. She’s committed to representing Latinas and Latinos in her books.
For inspiration, she draws from her experience as a TV and radio journalist, and as a third-generation Mexican American
Debra now lives on the central coast of California with her husband. She enjoys rediscovering the Mexican dishes of her childhood and texting her two daughters about her latest binge-watch.
~Subscribe to her newsletter for the occasional giveaway and the latest news at www.debracastaneda.com;
~Stay in touch with her at: @castanedawrites on Facebook & @castanedawrites on Instagram .
Her works include Barely Magic, the first book in the Maddy Madrigal Mysteries series of urban fantasy novels; The Spore Queen, The Devil’s Shallows, The Root Witch, The Copper Man, Circus at Devil’s Landing, and A Dark and Rising Tide, which comprise the Dark Earth Rising series of standalone novels, and The Monsters of Chavez Ravine, an International Latino Book Awards gold medal winner.
Debra loves writing character-driven stories about people who experience scary or magical things, and how they react when confronted with the unexpected. She’s committed to representing Latinas and Latinos in her books.
For inspiration, she draws from her experience as a TV and radio journalist, and as a third-generation Mexican American
Debra now lives on the central coast of California with her husband. She enjoys rediscovering the Mexican dishes of her childhood and texting her two daughters about her latest binge-watch.
~Subscribe to her newsletter for the occasional giveaway and the latest news at www.debracastaneda.com;
~Stay in touch with her at: @castanedawrites on Facebook & @castanedawrites on Instagram .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 112 reviews
July 7, 2024
This is my fourth novel from Debra Castaneda's Dark Earth Rising series, and I already have the last two bought and on the shelf. Castaneda is an automatic buy for me now. Her books are well-written and full of cryptids, ghosts and other mysterious entities. But more than anything they are just plain fun.
The Devil's Shallows is, of course, no exception. The pace is quick and characters relatable. I love that the cryptids are new and interesting in origin. I flew through this book too fast. I didn't want it to end.
The Devil's Shallows is, of course, no exception. The pace is quick and characters relatable. I love that the cryptids are new and interesting in origin. I flew through this book too fast. I didn't want it to end.
March 21, 2022
The Devil's Shallows is an intense novel that has a stunning setting and two well-developed main characters, who you almost instantly fall in love with. Their story is told through first-person narration in alternating chapters. Adam is an environmental biologist who grew up in the area around Roy's Harbor, California. Christina is in public relations and purchased a house in the new development near Roy's Harbor. Together they meet the other residents of the new housing complex and soon discover that they are starting to disappear. As Adam grew up in the area, he knew about the old tales of "The Slough Devil", but thought they were all made up stories to keep children away from the dangerous waters. Could the Slough Devil be real or is there some other explanation for the disappearances?
This fast-paced narrative is filled with short but powerful chapters that make it extremely difficult to put down. Throw in a mix of mystery, suspense, horror and and large meteorological disaster, and you have the recipe for one fantastic book. As this is the second novel I have read from Ms. Castaneda, I have quickly become a huge fan. 5 terrifying stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
This fast-paced narrative is filled with short but powerful chapters that make it extremely difficult to put down. Throw in a mix of mystery, suspense, horror and and large meteorological disaster, and you have the recipe for one fantastic book. As this is the second novel I have read from Ms. Castaneda, I have quickly become a huge fan. 5 terrifying stars
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
May 7, 2022
I wasn't expecting that to be as sad as it was. That ending kind of ruined my day.
Don't get me wrong it wasn't a bad ending it just wasn't the happy ending I wanted.
The characters in the book are so well well written and they go through so much stuff. The whole time I'm like please let this character live!
The monster in the book was not at all what I was expecting it to be and it definitely caught me off guard.
Don't get me wrong it wasn't a bad ending it just wasn't the happy ending I wanted.
The characters in the book are so well well written and they go through so much stuff. The whole time I'm like please let this character live!
The monster in the book was not at all what I was expecting it to be and it definitely caught me off guard.
March 6, 2024
I really enjoyed The Root Witch, but wow, Devil's Shallows is definitely my favorite of The Dark Earth Rising books so far! Debra is a talented storyteller, and this one really sucked me in!
Adam is a local naturalist from Devil's Landing on the central California coast and runs boat tours on the Slough. During one of his tours, a customer catches something on camera that goes viral. Adam knows the local legends of the Slough Devil, but he can't be sure what he's seen. Meanwhile, there is a controversial new housing development going up along the Slough, and even though Adam was against it as a naturalist, he applies for one of the cottages. As we meet the other residents of the development as they're moving in, they discover some big problems with the new development. While they live in a beautiful yet remote location, they have no internet, phone, or cell service. What can go wrong?
Unexplainable tragedy soon occurs when a boy goes missing off one of the docks. One of the residents, Mr. Garcia had been warning the boy about not getting too close to the edge because of the monsters in the water, but he is battling a form of dementia, so nobody really pays attention. Adam remembers the story his dad used to tell about another boy that went missing in 1906, not long after a ship carrying a circus crashed off the shore. He keeps shaking off this story until another woman gets dragged off by something while Adam and some of the neighbors are kayaking. He can no longer deny there is something amiss, but a storm moves in, and the residents are cut off from the world by flooding.
I just recently began dabbling in horror, and I definitely struggle with finding stories I love. This story really had everything I was looking for. There's a great plot set in a beautiful and remote location, and the characters were written so well that they really created a sense of community. The Slough Devil was very creative and more fleshed out than the creature in The Root Witch. I was so excited to discover that the next book, Devil at Circus Landing, is the origin story for the Slough Devil! I can't wait to learn more! I am so glad I found Debra's books! And those covers 😍 Not only are the books terrifyingly beautiful inside and out, but the author seems like an amazing person. She is very interactive with fans on Facebook and with her Etsy store. I ordered signed copies of The Root Witch and The Devil's Shallows from her, and they came wrapped so beautifully that I didn't want to open them. I'm glad I did because her inscriptions made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!
Adam is a local naturalist from Devil's Landing on the central California coast and runs boat tours on the Slough. During one of his tours, a customer catches something on camera that goes viral. Adam knows the local legends of the Slough Devil, but he can't be sure what he's seen. Meanwhile, there is a controversial new housing development going up along the Slough, and even though Adam was against it as a naturalist, he applies for one of the cottages. As we meet the other residents of the development as they're moving in, they discover some big problems with the new development. While they live in a beautiful yet remote location, they have no internet, phone, or cell service. What can go wrong?
Unexplainable tragedy soon occurs when a boy goes missing off one of the docks. One of the residents, Mr. Garcia had been warning the boy about not getting too close to the edge because of the monsters in the water, but he is battling a form of dementia, so nobody really pays attention. Adam remembers the story his dad used to tell about another boy that went missing in 1906, not long after a ship carrying a circus crashed off the shore. He keeps shaking off this story until another woman gets dragged off by something while Adam and some of the neighbors are kayaking. He can no longer deny there is something amiss, but a storm moves in, and the residents are cut off from the world by flooding.
I just recently began dabbling in horror, and I definitely struggle with finding stories I love. This story really had everything I was looking for. There's a great plot set in a beautiful and remote location, and the characters were written so well that they really created a sense of community. The Slough Devil was very creative and more fleshed out than the creature in The Root Witch. I was so excited to discover that the next book, Devil at Circus Landing, is the origin story for the Slough Devil! I can't wait to learn more! I am so glad I found Debra's books! And those covers 😍 Not only are the books terrifyingly beautiful inside and out, but the author seems like an amazing person. She is very interactive with fans on Facebook and with her Etsy store. I ordered signed copies of The Root Witch and The Devil's Shallows from her, and they came wrapped so beautifully that I didn't want to open them. I'm glad I did because her inscriptions made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up!
May 17, 2023
This is truly one of the best books I’ve ever read!!!
I’ve enjoyed the author’s other works, especially The Root Witch, but was absolutely BLOWN away by The Devil’s Shallows.
It’s a quaint creature feature tied up with gorgeous imagery and authentic characters.
The ending tore my heart out of my body. I absolutely cannot wait for the upcoming prequel: Circus at Devil’s Landing.
I cannot give enough praise for this book, it was so special and such a fantastic reading experience.
Debra always puts aspects of her life into her stories: her career in journalism is often given to her main characters, and she often bases the natural settings off of very real places in the world that have inspired her. I find this infuses her books with more spirit, and gives her characters more genuine reactions to the horror and obstacles they often face.
I’ve enjoyed the author’s other works, especially The Root Witch, but was absolutely BLOWN away by The Devil’s Shallows.
It’s a quaint creature feature tied up with gorgeous imagery and authentic characters.
The ending tore my heart out of my body. I absolutely cannot wait for the upcoming prequel: Circus at Devil’s Landing.
I cannot give enough praise for this book, it was so special and such a fantastic reading experience.
Debra always puts aspects of her life into her stories: her career in journalism is often given to her main characters, and she often bases the natural settings off of very real places in the world that have inspired her. I find this infuses her books with more spirit, and gives her characters more genuine reactions to the horror and obstacles they often face.
January 23, 2023
As a reader, the writing owned me. I loved the story, characters, delivery, all of it. Read it in two sittings, and couldn't stop talking to my wife about it. Monster/cryptid stories are some of my favorites, and this was a notch above most I've read. As a writer, I took notes, reveled in the casual yet complex prose, marveled at the expert usage of dual 1st person POV with Adam and Christina. So good. Highly recommended!
February 18, 2024
TRIGGER WARNING FOR RAPE SCENE
Really enjoyed this book until the totally unnecessary description of monster genitalia. There are very few instances where detailed rape scenes are necessary to a book and this was not one of them. I really enjoyed the book up until about 75% of the way through when a character is brutally raped by a monster and then it is continually described and talked about in the following scenes. Dont get me wrong, there is a tasteful and constructive way to add SA to your story but this was not it. There also needs to some sort of warning if it is going to be so violent that the character has blood running down her legs. Unnecessary and very gross.
Really enjoyed this book until the totally unnecessary description of monster genitalia. There are very few instances where detailed rape scenes are necessary to a book and this was not one of them. I really enjoyed the book up until about 75% of the way through when a character is brutally raped by a monster and then it is continually described and talked about in the following scenes. Dont get me wrong, there is a tasteful and constructive way to add SA to your story but this was not it. There also needs to some sort of warning if it is going to be so violent that the character has blood running down her legs. Unnecessary and very gross.
June 26, 2023
This was a really good story! I do wish there were more cryptid and less romancey stuff between the two main characters. Cool, you like each other. I don’t care. It also seemed kind of not too thought through? Maybe not romance but the crush between them wasn’t interesting and a little childish. BUT while I didn’t like reading it in the moment…I did like the entire story as a whole. Childish crush and all. I see this author’s style of writing and I enjoy reflecting on the story at the end and hating things I don’t like during the story. She does an amazing job with the action scenes but it does take quite a while to get to the good stuff. Ive recommend this author to others and will continue to do so. I can’t wait to read the origin story!
August 30, 2022
I loved this book!! Two of my favorite things.. folk horror and cryptids/creatures are in this read and it made me so happy! I loved the build-up to a bloody climax and I appreciated there being some kind of origin explanation which doesn't always happen in creature features. I would absolutely love a prequel going more into where the creatures came from and what happened when they first got to the slough. Definitely 5/5 cryptid skulls 💀
April 6, 2024
I absolutely loved this book! My heart was racing at moments in the book that I couldn't put it down. I am now a fan of Debra Castaneda
September 4, 2022
Take a perfect location and a cast of colourful characters, stir in some very nasty creatures and add in a super storm and you have a recipe for a scrumptious, creepy and horrific story. Once you've devoured it, you can sit back and be very satisfied with the result. Loved it.
September 16, 2024
I didn't hate this book, but I didn't love it either. It's so hard to find a good monster book that doesn't devolve into silliness. Sadly, this book is no exception. It started out promising. A new low cost housing development is built on a remote slough in California. It's a controversial project and environmental activists are opposed. Still, seemingly smart people buy these houses, including protagonists Christina, and hunky Adam. Adam runs a business leading boat tours through the slough, and knows of the credible stories of the monsters who live there. I say "seemingly smart" above because there are no land lines in this development, and no cell service. Why oh why would anyone live there?
Where the plot really goes off the rails for me is with the monsters.
I also found Christina annoying and immature. Here's a woman in her 30s who responds to an attractive man like a teenager, automatically hating another attractive woman who dares to speak to him, even though, at the time, Christina barely knows him. It was high school nonsense. I didn't care for the resolution of the book as it seemed to set up a sequel, and this plot cannot sustain a sequel.
I've read one other Castenada book, and I think she can write. But she tries too hard to bring believability to her plots and it backfires rather hugely. Maybe she needs to trust the reader to suspend disbelief and embrace the paranormal.
Where the plot really goes off the rails for me is with the monsters.
I also found Christina annoying and immature. Here's a woman in her 30s who responds to an attractive man like a teenager, automatically hating another attractive woman who dares to speak to him, even though, at the time, Christina barely knows him. It was high school nonsense. I didn't care for the resolution of the book as it seemed to set up a sequel, and this plot cannot sustain a sequel.
I've read one other Castenada book, and I think she can write. But she tries too hard to bring believability to her plots and it backfires rather hugely. Maybe she needs to trust the reader to suspend disbelief and embrace the paranormal.
December 9, 2022
I absolutely adored this novel and amazed myself at how fast I read it [in one session]. Not a moment of waste in this story, everything fixed seamlessly and nothing amiss or off the track. The implacable nature of the Horror fit right in with my apparently incurable hydrophobia (efficiently reflected in a Main Character) so in addition to being terrified, I felt comfortably at Home while experiencing the terror of this summarily dangerous "You can run, you can hide, but YOU CAN NEVER ESCAPE!!!" encroaching, indefatigable, Horror!
Even now I haven't escaped, the Terrors still playing in my head!! It could happen to anyone [will it happen to you?]
I have to include Caution Warnings:
Danger to children
Abduction of children
Abduction of Adults
Sexual Assault
Psychosis due to Health Conditions
Dysfunctional Family (Dys-Familia)
Grief
Theft
Property Damage
Flooding
STORM SURGE
Ecoterrorism
Even now I haven't escaped, the Terrors still playing in my head!! It could happen to anyone [will it happen to you?]
I have to include Caution Warnings:
Danger to children
Abduction of children
Abduction of Adults
Sexual Assault
Psychosis due to Health Conditions
Dysfunctional Family (Dys-Familia)
Grief
Theft
Property Damage
Flooding
STORM SURGE
Ecoterrorism
May 28, 2023
Over the weekend I read The Devil’s Shallows by Debra Castaneda and what a ride it was!
Genre
Thriller / monster horror?
🤷🏻♀️ 😂
Can you tell I don’t stray much from fanasty?
We follow our two main characters Adam and Christina as they, along with a bunch of their new neighbours, move into a brand new housing development right near the Devil’s Marsh
There are stories of a cryptid known to folklore as the Slough Devil who is said to inhabit the marsh, but everyone believes it to be no more than an old wives tale like the Boogey Man or Lock Ness Monster, you know, the type of story we have all grown up with but no one really believes…
Did I find myself sitting in the dark by myself pooping my pants while reading this? Absolutely 😂
It was such a fun read though even if it did take a somewhat strange turn toward the end.
I also enjoyed that there was some disability rep!
This one does have some trigger warnings so be mindful of that though.
July 1, 2023
Excellent! Debra Castaneda's 'The Devil's Shallows' was a great read! Incredibly gripping, intense, I literally couldn’t put it down. The stakes are higher this time, as people get involved in matters of life and death without realizing what is really going on, falling unawares straight into hell. The first person narratives were a nice idea, kept me reeling from chapter to chapter to find out who (if anyone, along with the two protagonists), would survive. The author's voice and style was lighter and clearer throughout the book, not a word wasted, and since the situations were so grim the tone was perfect. The romance between Adam and Christina had all the traits of a relationship between two intelligent, self-reliant people, something rather unusual nowadays. The urban legend of the "Slough Devil" was treated realistically, even when it all proves to be far from fiction. I found the bittersweet ending insightful and full of wisdom. Recommended!
January 21, 2025
This book started off as a slow burn for me. The story does start to pick up speed once the new neighborhood is open. The neighbors are very colorful, especially Adam, Christina, and Jordan.
It's very creepy, and several of the twists, especially what happened to Adam. Read to find out
Central Coast CA. (Fictional city)
It's very creepy, and several of the twists, especially what happened to Adam. Read to find out
Central Coast CA. (Fictional city)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 15, 2024
This book took me so long to read😭 It was a bit too slow-moving for me, as it started to pick up around 70%. It definitely wasn't my favorite from this author, but I'm reading about the history of the circus now, so I think that might be exciting!
May 4, 2026
…who knew what horrors the night might still deliver.
~ 4 stars. "The Devil's Shallows" is my third foray into Debra Castaneda's catalogue, along with "The Spore Queen" and "The Copper Man", if you're curious. It's the latter that I think most closely matches my experience here and, in fact, I am using my review from it to assist me in formulating my thoughts as we speak. Key is that each of these stories has as its background an angle towards man vs. the environment and just how much the world around us can be influenced by the actions of humanity… or, better said, often the lack thereof.
This is a nightmare. I just want to get out of here.
Just as with my earlier reads, the tension here is quite palpable, even often off the charts in spots (growing up in prime hurricane territory, I knew that storm was definitely no fun!), and the characters more than sympathetic and believable. Once again, I found that the Castaneda is very inventive where "Devil's" delivers an intelligent tale that really ratchets up the feeling of dread to a stunning level as we progress… and does so while inventing her very own - and viable! - cryptid legend! She also takes an interesting approach in that one of the earliest chapter (5) suddenly jumps many weeks into the future, letting us know among other things that our two MC's survive but at the same time making it more than clear that they faced extreme and traumatic circumstances along the way! So the rest of the "past", if you will, is spent tensely waiting for that other shoe to drop! We know "it's" coming, but when…?
I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you until you’re fucking dead.
Again, though, I find myself wishing that the author had pushed things just a little bit farther, you know, rubbed some more dirt (and blood and other yucky bits) on it. Mind you, I'm comfortable admitting that that's due to my tastes and obviously not something she necessarily has chosen to "withhold" from the reader for any reason. I mean, come on: we go from wondering if we're possibly "dealing with an unidentified hybrid creature" that's origins can be traced back to a circus full of bizarre animals (damaged by the San Francisco earthquake in 1906) to trying to literally survive "vicious hybrid creatures with a taste for human females" which we have a front row seat for. Oh and let's just safely say that if you don't want your opinion of otters being cute and cuddly critters to be ruined, you need to do a little pre-reading first! Add "baby seals" in your search, too.
Its lips pulled back, revealing a row of ugly sharp teeth the color of dirty cement.
And arguably, I know that not every "scary story" needs to be gory, noting we do get plenty of bloodshed and mental anguish from events here. Just as with her other works, the deaths and losses are not pleasant events by any stretch of the imagination, even if I was dreaming up ways that the full potential!!! for carnage and especially terror could be expressed. OK, so maybe running into my second "if you go kayaking, you're going to be killed by demonic creatures" book (it's an important sub-genre!) in as many weeks - Adam L.G. Nevill's "Monumental" being the other - and just like I mentioned there: "no offense or anything, but kayaking is the last thing I want to do." Just the thought of it is starting to get to me! That and it took me most of this book to get it into my head that Roy's Slough was NOT in fact located in Louisiana. Don't worry: I lived for nearly a decade very near a similar territory in North Carolina and had no idea it was even there until I'd been gone for over 20 years. So much for my environmental awareness (though it did explain the occasional alligator sighting in the neighborhood)…
…you’re like every bad scene in a scary movie where somebody has a stupid idea.
Along with that, there was a mixed bag of things I liked or less-liked throughout. For example, one character goes from being a "math teacher in Salinas (that) took the kids on mathlete competitions" to being a cranky, know-it-all university professor. Also, I would have simply for visualization reasons have liked to have known that Ruth was African-American before more than 3/4s of the story was done (though the story supported adding it then). On the other flipper, I thought that the characters of so many of the girl-folks - especially Christina, Jordan, Ruth, and Darlene (harbormaster, yeah!) were really top-notch, powerful female protagonists! I also enjoyed the kind of "epilogue" that is provided once the dust has settled, where there's a reunion of sorts of various characters that definitely delivered a few surprises!
It was not an animal. Not a normal one.
So in conclusion and in my best copy-paste fashion… Overall, I felt like the story was well-written and mostly well-executed. The characters we meet are all very convincing and as likeable (or unlikeable) as needed especially to make this all feel like it took place in a REAL neighborhood! I also thought the author "layered" this story extremely well, from the beginning of the whole "stop the development" time-frame to reaching a point where folks believed that it was more likely "assholes in wet suits… trying to scare us?" than mysterious cryptids killing everyone. But I still have to wonder sometimes: we have the technology to spot a pimple on a baby's bottom from space and yet we can't track down ape-like creatures with viscious claws not even trying to hide in a swamp? I dunno… Oh well, I guess short of getting Mystery Inc. involved (it was just Old Man Jenkins in a mask!), we'll just have to take it as it is!
As soon as we say that word, monster, there’s going to be a shit storm.
My thanks again to the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
~ 4 stars. "The Devil's Shallows" is my third foray into Debra Castaneda's catalogue, along with "The Spore Queen" and "The Copper Man", if you're curious. It's the latter that I think most closely matches my experience here and, in fact, I am using my review from it to assist me in formulating my thoughts as we speak. Key is that each of these stories has as its background an angle towards man vs. the environment and just how much the world around us can be influenced by the actions of humanity… or, better said, often the lack thereof.
This is a nightmare. I just want to get out of here.
Just as with my earlier reads, the tension here is quite palpable, even often off the charts in spots (growing up in prime hurricane territory, I knew that storm was definitely no fun!), and the characters more than sympathetic and believable. Once again, I found that the Castaneda is very inventive where "Devil's" delivers an intelligent tale that really ratchets up the feeling of dread to a stunning level as we progress… and does so while inventing her very own - and viable! - cryptid legend! She also takes an interesting approach in that one of the earliest chapter (5) suddenly jumps many weeks into the future, letting us know among other things that our two MC's survive but at the same time making it more than clear that they faced extreme and traumatic circumstances along the way! So the rest of the "past", if you will, is spent tensely waiting for that other shoe to drop! We know "it's" coming, but when…?
I’ll kill you. I’ll kill you until you’re fucking dead.
Again, though, I find myself wishing that the author had pushed things just a little bit farther, you know, rubbed some more dirt (and blood and other yucky bits) on it. Mind you, I'm comfortable admitting that that's due to my tastes and obviously not something she necessarily has chosen to "withhold" from the reader for any reason. I mean, come on: we go from wondering if we're possibly "dealing with an unidentified hybrid creature" that's origins can be traced back to a circus full of bizarre animals (damaged by the San Francisco earthquake in 1906) to trying to literally survive "vicious hybrid creatures with a taste for human females" which we have a front row seat for. Oh and let's just safely say that if you don't want your opinion of otters being cute and cuddly critters to be ruined, you need to do a little pre-reading first! Add "baby seals" in your search, too.
Its lips pulled back, revealing a row of ugly sharp teeth the color of dirty cement.
And arguably, I know that not every "scary story" needs to be gory, noting we do get plenty of bloodshed and mental anguish from events here. Just as with her other works, the deaths and losses are not pleasant events by any stretch of the imagination, even if I was dreaming up ways that the full potential!!! for carnage and especially terror could be expressed. OK, so maybe running into my second "if you go kayaking, you're going to be killed by demonic creatures" book (it's an important sub-genre!) in as many weeks - Adam L.G. Nevill's "Monumental" being the other - and just like I mentioned there: "no offense or anything, but kayaking is the last thing I want to do." Just the thought of it is starting to get to me! That and it took me most of this book to get it into my head that Roy's Slough was NOT in fact located in Louisiana. Don't worry: I lived for nearly a decade very near a similar territory in North Carolina and had no idea it was even there until I'd been gone for over 20 years. So much for my environmental awareness (though it did explain the occasional alligator sighting in the neighborhood)…
…you’re like every bad scene in a scary movie where somebody has a stupid idea.
Along with that, there was a mixed bag of things I liked or less-liked throughout. For example, one character goes from being a "math teacher in Salinas (that) took the kids on mathlete competitions" to being a cranky, know-it-all university professor. Also, I would have simply for visualization reasons have liked to have known that Ruth was African-American before more than 3/4s of the story was done (though the story supported adding it then). On the other flipper, I thought that the characters of so many of the girl-folks - especially Christina, Jordan, Ruth, and Darlene (harbormaster, yeah!) were really top-notch, powerful female protagonists! I also enjoyed the kind of "epilogue" that is provided once the dust has settled, where there's a reunion of sorts of various characters that definitely delivered a few surprises!
It was not an animal. Not a normal one.
So in conclusion and in my best copy-paste fashion… Overall, I felt like the story was well-written and mostly well-executed. The characters we meet are all very convincing and as likeable (or unlikeable) as needed especially to make this all feel like it took place in a REAL neighborhood! I also thought the author "layered" this story extremely well, from the beginning of the whole "stop the development" time-frame to reaching a point where folks believed that it was more likely "assholes in wet suits… trying to scare us?" than mysterious cryptids killing everyone. But I still have to wonder sometimes: we have the technology to spot a pimple on a baby's bottom from space and yet we can't track down ape-like creatures with viscious claws not even trying to hide in a swamp? I dunno… Oh well, I guess short of getting Mystery Inc. involved (it was just Old Man Jenkins in a mask!), we'll just have to take it as it is!
As soon as we say that word, monster, there’s going to be a shit storm.
My thanks again to the author for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
June 1, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 *
So good!
The Devils Shallows takes place in the central coast of California marsh lands and the atmosphere is eerie and creepy. There's a mysterious creature that visitors and locals have seen through the years living in the trees and slipping into the water. People start going missing in the new developed community that is completely cut off from society(no phones or internet).
A giant storm hits and things only get worse.
I couldn't put it down I kept finding an excuse to sneak reading into my day. It played out like a movie. I hate being alone and the thought of being isolated from the rest of the world really sends a chill down my spine. The characters were fun and well developed and definitely grew attached to some of the neighbors.
I definitely recommend!
So good!
The Devils Shallows takes place in the central coast of California marsh lands and the atmosphere is eerie and creepy. There's a mysterious creature that visitors and locals have seen through the years living in the trees and slipping into the water. People start going missing in the new developed community that is completely cut off from society(no phones or internet).
A giant storm hits and things only get worse.
I couldn't put it down I kept finding an excuse to sneak reading into my day. It played out like a movie. I hate being alone and the thought of being isolated from the rest of the world really sends a chill down my spine. The characters were fun and well developed and definitely grew attached to some of the neighbors.
I definitely recommend!
June 23, 2023
The story was ok, the writing was lackluster.
It was riddled with grammar mistakes and even a handful of typos.
I understand one or two here and there, but for a book under 300 pages, how do you misspell “adrenaline” twice? In a horror novel, no less?
It was a little exciting at times but overall, nothing special.
The character, Jordan, was so fucking annoying that anything with her in it made it hard to stand.
She was described as being mature for her age (16) but she acted like an entitled 10 year old. Spouting off the most obscene shit at the worst possible times, surrounded by adults who never scolded her for it. And if they did, it was hardly a finger wagging.
I saw the ending coming.
It was riddled with grammar mistakes and even a handful of typos.
I understand one or two here and there, but for a book under 300 pages, how do you misspell “adrenaline” twice? In a horror novel, no less?
It was a little exciting at times but overall, nothing special.
The character, Jordan, was so fucking annoying that anything with her in it made it hard to stand.
She was described as being mature for her age (16) but she acted like an entitled 10 year old. Spouting off the most obscene shit at the worst possible times, surrounded by adults who never scolded her for it. And if they did, it was hardly a finger wagging.
I saw the ending coming.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2024
I was enjoying this up until we got to the unnecessary and semi-graphic . Also the bizarre explanation of how .
Overall the writing was competent, and the character study aspect of the story was good - I also always enjoy a creature feature. It was just really hindered by the above.
Overall the writing was competent, and the character study aspect of the story was good - I also always enjoy a creature feature. It was just really hindered by the above.
January 13, 2024
This book make me groan with disappointment. Almost the entire book is build up to a very lackluster climax. The final chapters had to be the worst part. It was as if the author just threw every random idea into a blender, trying to get an emotional reaction.
September 3, 2023
Barely anything happened aside from each protagonist thinking "omg he/she is so hot" about each other and them eating burritos. And I learned about otter erections.
May 23, 2024
Content warning:
Great creature feature horror!
Great creature feature horror!
April 23, 2022
*** Possible Spoilers Ahead ***
I wasn't able to sit down and get this review out right away, so some details may be lacking, but I will try to remember the best I can.
Originally I requested this story due to description sounded open and inviting - like was there a portal to a different place/time/world. The cover art left me wondering as well, as one can see what appears to be some blood, in a water shore type background. I was a litle surprsied at what happens, and though I felt a little cheated at the possible fantasy part of the story, I realized there was still plenty in stock for me.
I'm sure many of us have heard urban legends, and this story is somewhat situated around one - though I do not know if it is a "true urban legend" in our world. Our main character is one that has grown up in this area (I think it is like some smaller po-dunk in California). Many times one has heard parents threatening the 'slough devil' that'll come and take them. The 'slough devil' lives out in the boonies near the tributary, in land most don't venture into. No one has seen them, though many claim they have, but have no proof.
So out story starts out with a new community being built a ways out of the local town, next to this tributary. Our main characters, Adam, who works as a tour guide on said tributary, and Christina, a once-been local news reporter, are both moving in as winners of some kind of lottery drawing for the limited available, lower income housing. The story is narrated through both of them, flipping between them every couple chapters. These two characters obviously like each other, and yet both have reservations about starting a relationship. Not my area of studied reading, so moving along.
One day, a tourist on the boat Adam drives, actually gets some video of the slough devil, which becomes a sensation and brings hundreds of people looking for it. A kayaking trip up the tributary finds Adam and the group of residents from the new community facing the event of a slough devil killing one of their party. Somehow (I'm a bit foggy as to the exact event) it turns out that there are more than one slough devil, and they start becoming aggressive (perhaps because the community was built almost literally across the water from their home?). It all gets pretty intense as a nighttime attack of the devils find only three survivors from the new community.
I will admit, this one started kind of slow. As each of the two characters started their narration, giving the background basics of both, and why they were here in this area, it slowly picked up. By around the middle of the book, I wanted to find out what was actually going to happen. Castaneda has done a fine job of writing, describing the character's world, that I felt comforrtable with my mental image. Dialogue between characters, main or other, seemd a bit stilted - but I am not a social butterfly either, so maybe it is just me thinking it could be a little more ... something. Writing style was easy to read, and though there were warnings of profanity, violence and death, I thought they were not overly excessive.
Overall, I enjoyed this as a modern day kind of horror novel, with some good possible fantasy. There is a possible explaination to the slough devil, but as in many urban legends, who really knows how it came to be.
I wasn't able to sit down and get this review out right away, so some details may be lacking, but I will try to remember the best I can.
Originally I requested this story due to description sounded open and inviting - like was there a portal to a different place/time/world. The cover art left me wondering as well, as one can see what appears to be some blood, in a water shore type background. I was a litle surprsied at what happens, and though I felt a little cheated at the possible fantasy part of the story, I realized there was still plenty in stock for me.
I'm sure many of us have heard urban legends, and this story is somewhat situated around one - though I do not know if it is a "true urban legend" in our world. Our main character is one that has grown up in this area (I think it is like some smaller po-dunk in California). Many times one has heard parents threatening the 'slough devil' that'll come and take them. The 'slough devil' lives out in the boonies near the tributary, in land most don't venture into. No one has seen them, though many claim they have, but have no proof.
So out story starts out with a new community being built a ways out of the local town, next to this tributary. Our main characters, Adam, who works as a tour guide on said tributary, and Christina, a once-been local news reporter, are both moving in as winners of some kind of lottery drawing for the limited available, lower income housing. The story is narrated through both of them, flipping between them every couple chapters. These two characters obviously like each other, and yet both have reservations about starting a relationship. Not my area of studied reading, so moving along.
One day, a tourist on the boat Adam drives, actually gets some video of the slough devil, which becomes a sensation and brings hundreds of people looking for it. A kayaking trip up the tributary finds Adam and the group of residents from the new community facing the event of a slough devil killing one of their party. Somehow (I'm a bit foggy as to the exact event) it turns out that there are more than one slough devil, and they start becoming aggressive (perhaps because the community was built almost literally across the water from their home?). It all gets pretty intense as a nighttime attack of the devils find only three survivors from the new community.
I will admit, this one started kind of slow. As each of the two characters started their narration, giving the background basics of both, and why they were here in this area, it slowly picked up. By around the middle of the book, I wanted to find out what was actually going to happen. Castaneda has done a fine job of writing, describing the character's world, that I felt comforrtable with my mental image. Dialogue between characters, main or other, seemd a bit stilted - but I am not a social butterfly either, so maybe it is just me thinking it could be a little more ... something. Writing style was easy to read, and though there were warnings of profanity, violence and death, I thought they were not overly excessive.
Overall, I enjoyed this as a modern day kind of horror novel, with some good possible fantasy. There is a possible explaination to the slough devil, but as in many urban legends, who really knows how it came to be.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2025
I actually have read this in the 'wrong' order as I read the novella which gives the backstory to the monsters first. I don't think that was a problem though. It started off promisingly with the introduction of the two viewpoint characters, Adam and Christina. Both have just moved in to a new housing development upriver from Devil's Landing in what is known as the Slough. Adam is a qualified naturalist who has inherited his father's boat tour business and gives tours along the Slough. On one trip a tourist filmed the legendary Slough Monster. Adam didn't see it for himself and is irritated at all the interest from customers. He had opposed the development initially, but been seduced by the promise of the property company to carry out restoration, and the chance for affordable housing. Christina is a no nonsense executive who was too busy to read the disclosure package so is shocked, along with a lot of her new neighbours, to discover there's no phone or broadband service at her new home. A phone mast was meant to be put in but due to a muddle, this won't happen for weeks, possibly months.
Disquieting things begin to happen including a child's disappearance, the loss of a woman on a kayaking expedition, and the revelation that in the event of a storm, the road is likely to be flooded. Adam and Christina are confronted with the reality behind the legend, but feel unable to warn people as they fear being disbelieved with all the career and social repercussions that would follow. Then things escalate rather rapidly.
The build up is slow, but the actual crisis is a bit too rapidly handled, with the focus shifting to the small number of survivors and the aftermath where they can't really escape what happened. I felt the story lost focus. I also found the whole subplot of the monsters subjecting Christina to sexual assault unnecessary. The idea that this behaviour stemmed from them breeding with sea otters stretched my suspension of disbelief to breaking point. I had wondered how the creatures could still be around a century later than the prequel, but given the establishment of their creation by dark magic, alluded to in this book, they could have just been fantastically long-lived. There also seemed far too many of them to be supported by local wildlife - they couldn't survive on the few cases where domestic animals were found mutilated. For these reasons, I rate the book at 3 stars.
Disquieting things begin to happen including a child's disappearance, the loss of a woman on a kayaking expedition, and the revelation that in the event of a storm, the road is likely to be flooded. Adam and Christina are confronted with the reality behind the legend, but feel unable to warn people as they fear being disbelieved with all the career and social repercussions that would follow. Then things escalate rather rapidly.
The build up is slow, but the actual crisis is a bit too rapidly handled, with the focus shifting to the small number of survivors and the aftermath where they can't really escape what happened. I felt the story lost focus. I also found the whole subplot of the monsters subjecting Christina to sexual assault unnecessary. The idea that this behaviour stemmed from them breeding with sea otters stretched my suspension of disbelief to breaking point. I had wondered how the creatures could still be around a century later than the prequel, but given the establishment of their creation by dark magic, alluded to in this book, they could have just been fantastically long-lived. There also seemed far too many of them to be supported by local wildlife - they couldn't survive on the few cases where domestic animals were found mutilated. For these reasons, I rate the book at 3 stars.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 15, 2023
Do you like thrillers??
Do you like horror??
Do you love the feeling that you won't be doing something for at least 10 years after reading about something terrifying??
Yup! This is it for you! I personally won't be setting foot in water for a long while, and being that I'm on vacation near a lot of beaches and pools, that's saying something!
Debra Castaneda did it again! A read that's so thrilling and goosebump inducing that you'll be gripping your seat so you won't fall over! It all starts soft and slow but at some point halfway through it goes down a ramp into horror, nightmare inducing monsters!!
Where would you go if you had nowhere to go to?? Oh! And accounting that you'll have a horde of monsters after you to do very unspeakable things!! Climb? Wrong.... Swim? Very wrong!!
The story looks to be straightforward but takes a few turns, having you yourself questioning the sanity of the characters, about the whole thing! By the middle of it things get very complex and very hard for them, so you may cut them a break here and there!
The story is rich, thrilling and terrifying, the characters are very human and become very easy to create empathy as they go through fear, grief and even love, there's a bit of everything here!
By the end? Well I'm not spoiling anyone, but it's very satisfying, leaving only a few questions raised, since we follow both Adam and Christina, it's hard to accept not having a chapter for Adam by the end explaining what happened through his eyes, but it all works for the mystery of it all!!
I'd ask only for one thing but I believe the author already delivered it! Wich is the story of the incident in 1906 that may or may not have been the origin of it all! But as far as I know there's already a story available!!
Thank you Debra Castaneda for sending me this book in digital format, I can't thank you enough for allowing me to read this amazing story!!
Do you like horror??
Do you love the feeling that you won't be doing something for at least 10 years after reading about something terrifying??
Yup! This is it for you! I personally won't be setting foot in water for a long while, and being that I'm on vacation near a lot of beaches and pools, that's saying something!
Debra Castaneda did it again! A read that's so thrilling and goosebump inducing that you'll be gripping your seat so you won't fall over! It all starts soft and slow but at some point halfway through it goes down a ramp into horror, nightmare inducing monsters!!
Where would you go if you had nowhere to go to?? Oh! And accounting that you'll have a horde of monsters after you to do very unspeakable things!! Climb? Wrong.... Swim? Very wrong!!
The story looks to be straightforward but takes a few turns, having you yourself questioning the sanity of the characters, about the whole thing! By the middle of it things get very complex and very hard for them, so you may cut them a break here and there!
The story is rich, thrilling and terrifying, the characters are very human and become very easy to create empathy as they go through fear, grief and even love, there's a bit of everything here!
By the end? Well I'm not spoiling anyone, but it's very satisfying, leaving only a few questions raised, since we follow both Adam and Christina, it's hard to accept not having a chapter for Adam by the end explaining what happened through his eyes, but it all works for the mystery of it all!!
I'd ask only for one thing but I believe the author already delivered it! Wich is the story of the incident in 1906 that may or may not have been the origin of it all! But as far as I know there's already a story available!!
Thank you Debra Castaneda for sending me this book in digital format, I can't thank you enough for allowing me to read this amazing story!!
December 26, 2025
Without a doubt, this was an outstanding story.
The premise, the conflicts, the way they were developed, and the resolution we ultimately received were all compelling and logical. Even the ending, in my opinion, was written perfectly—it followed a rational course, and the final hundred pages were truly breathtaking.
I won’t say the ending wasn’t painful, but it was logical. It wasn’t something you could reasonably criticize.
One of the themes the book portrayed in a very tangible way was human foolishness—stupidity, carelessness, selfishness, and the kinds of mistakes that easily lead to the deaths of people themselves and those they love.
People insist on speaking and acting on their own terms, and even when you do everything in your power to warn them of the dangers, it’s as if they simply don’t hear you—at least not until they see the consequences for themselves.
At the same time, the book beautifully depicted love and friendship.
It also did an excellent job of portraying the deceitfulness of the wealthy and those in positions of power: how it doesn’t matter if an entire town is massacred—if money is involved, they fabricate a story, deceive the public, and continue building more settlements.
The kind of horror presented here was different, but it felt completely real. I can honestly say this is the first horror novel I’ve read that truly terrified me.
I’m giving this book a 5-star rating, because the author absolutely deserves it. However, the cover designer could have done a much better job.
The premise, the conflicts, the way they were developed, and the resolution we ultimately received were all compelling and logical. Even the ending, in my opinion, was written perfectly—it followed a rational course, and the final hundred pages were truly breathtaking.
I won’t say the ending wasn’t painful, but it was logical. It wasn’t something you could reasonably criticize.
One of the themes the book portrayed in a very tangible way was human foolishness—stupidity, carelessness, selfishness, and the kinds of mistakes that easily lead to the deaths of people themselves and those they love.
People insist on speaking and acting on their own terms, and even when you do everything in your power to warn them of the dangers, it’s as if they simply don’t hear you—at least not until they see the consequences for themselves.
At the same time, the book beautifully depicted love and friendship.
It also did an excellent job of portraying the deceitfulness of the wealthy and those in positions of power: how it doesn’t matter if an entire town is massacred—if money is involved, they fabricate a story, deceive the public, and continue building more settlements.
The kind of horror presented here was different, but it felt completely real. I can honestly say this is the first horror novel I’ve read that truly terrified me.
I’m giving this book a 5-star rating, because the author absolutely deserves it. However, the cover designer could have done a much better job.
November 17, 2024
4.5/5 Stars
What if you had an opportunity to have waterfront property in a brand-new California neighborhood for low cost? The hiccough? It's next door to an area known for a local legend, the Slough Devil.
Christina and Adam both take the opportunity for different reasons and quickly discover the amenities are not what was promised. I already knew along the lines of what they were facing cause I made a mistake in the reading order and read the prequel first. (Prequel, though a prequel, is best read second.) However, seeing the horror the past read brought the present was quite a fascinating read.
I haven't encountered anything of Debra Castaneda's that hasn't been enjoyable. She has a way with developing fully fleshed-out characters, male and female, that draws you in and makes you care about their fates. She's also fantastic at layering on the growing sense of dread and unease without making it too much or too little.
This one is part of the "a Dark Earth Rising" series and although it is a stand-alone, you don't need to read the others to read this one, I highly recommend reading all the others in the series. The true horror of her work is that it always feels like something that could happen right now, in the real world.
What if you had an opportunity to have waterfront property in a brand-new California neighborhood for low cost? The hiccough? It's next door to an area known for a local legend, the Slough Devil.
Christina and Adam both take the opportunity for different reasons and quickly discover the amenities are not what was promised. I already knew along the lines of what they were facing cause I made a mistake in the reading order and read the prequel first. (Prequel, though a prequel, is best read second.) However, seeing the horror the past read brought the present was quite a fascinating read.
I haven't encountered anything of Debra Castaneda's that hasn't been enjoyable. She has a way with developing fully fleshed-out characters, male and female, that draws you in and makes you care about their fates. She's also fantastic at layering on the growing sense of dread and unease without making it too much or too little.
This one is part of the "a Dark Earth Rising" series and although it is a stand-alone, you don't need to read the others to read this one, I highly recommend reading all the others in the series. The true horror of her work is that it always feels like something that could happen right now, in the real world.
April 12, 2022
This story takes place in a remote neighborhood of California, located on an 8-mile stretch of salt marsh known as Devil’s Landing.
This place is home to a horrifying urban legend - The Slough Devil - who lurks in the water and had been known to take people who get to close victim, and they’re never seen again.
A housing development pops up close to the marsh and the residents start moving in. It’s not long before unexplained events begin to happen and the residents start to question the validity of the urban legend.
When a massive storm swoops into this region, the resident find themselves trapped, fighting for their lives.
The story is told in dual POVs: Adam, who is well-aware of the stories circulating about the infamous Slough Devil, but remains unconvinced; and Christina, his strong-willed neighbor who is convinced something is lurking in their midst.
I was intrigued by the history of the urban legend depicted in the story, but I will never look at a certain animal the same way ever again.
I enjoyed the “no communication” trope and the presence of the huge storm. Both added to the terrifying nature of the story.
I’m interested in reading The Monsters of Chavez Ravine by this author as well.
**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.**
This place is home to a horrifying urban legend - The Slough Devil - who lurks in the water and had been known to take people who get to close victim, and they’re never seen again.
A housing development pops up close to the marsh and the residents start moving in. It’s not long before unexplained events begin to happen and the residents start to question the validity of the urban legend.
When a massive storm swoops into this region, the resident find themselves trapped, fighting for their lives.
The story is told in dual POVs: Adam, who is well-aware of the stories circulating about the infamous Slough Devil, but remains unconvinced; and Christina, his strong-willed neighbor who is convinced something is lurking in their midst.
I was intrigued by the history of the urban legend depicted in the story, but I will never look at a certain animal the same way ever again.
I enjoyed the “no communication” trope and the presence of the huge storm. Both added to the terrifying nature of the story.
I’m interested in reading The Monsters of Chavez Ravine by this author as well.
**I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.**
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